Last fall, a miniature schnauzer (Atticus M. Finch) and his owner hiked their way into the hearts of New Englanders. A local phenomenon, Following Atticus has been the constant author-event request among our customers, and we are pleased to finally be able to oblige. Tom Ryan will join us in the store for an evening of stories and Q&A, followed by a signing. Atticus will be there (barring unforeseeable complications), and Will as well. Because other dogs being present make the event distracting and stressful for our canine stars, we ask that you leave your own four-legged friends at home. (GibsonsB)… (more)

Jabberwocky will host a very special evening with former Newburyporters Tom Ryan and Atticus M. Finch as we celebrate the paperback release of their book, Following Atticus, Forty-Eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship.

Tom Ryan was the founder and often controversial editor of Newburyport’s alternative newspaper, The Undertoad, reporting for years on local politics with his special brand of insight and dark humor. He was just as well-known for his delightful small dog, Atticus M. Finch,who made friends all over the city. Often Atticus could be seen perched in the basket of Tom’s bicycle as they whirled around town. Following Atticus is the story of a middle-aged, overweight, and acrophobic newspaperman and a miniature schnauzer who become an unlikely pair of mountaineers. After a close friend dies of cancer, the two pay tribute to her by attempting to climb all forty-eight of New Hampshire’s four-thousand-foot peaks twice in one winter while raising money for charity. At the heart of this remarkable journey is an extraordinary relationship that blurs the line between man and dog, an indelible bond that began when Tom, following the advice of Atticus’s breeder, carried the pup wherever he went for the first month of their life together. Following Atticus is ultimately a story of transformation: how a five-pound puppy pierced the heart of a tough-as-nails newspaperman, opening his eyes to the world’s beauty and its possibilities. It was a change that led to a new life among the mountains; an unforgettable saga of adventure, friendship, and the unlikeliest of family; and an inspiring tale of finding love and discovering your true self.

The reviews have been exciting:“Exceptionally evocative writing and an engaging story . . . this is a book that can be read more than once. Inspirational and heart-warming.” (Library Journal )“Heartwarming, surprisingly suspenseful. . . . Part adventure story, part memoir, but most important, a love story . . . an entertaining and joyous book.” (Publishers Weekly )“Lyrical. . . . rivetingly portrayed . . . a touching chronicle.” (Kirkus Reviews )

This story will fill your heart! It's the true adventure of a controversial, middle aged newspaper man and an adorable miniature schnauzer. Best friends and mountain climbing buddies who scaled all 48 of New Hampshire's 4000 ft. White Mountains - in the winter - not once but twice!! A story of love and resilience and the human/animal bond. There's Tom's back story of his childhood and turbulent relationship with his dad and finding forgiveness in adulthood. Atticus changed Tom's life! Fabulous story!! SUE

After a close friend died of cancer, middle-aged, overweight, acrophobic newspaperman Tom Ryan decided to pay tribute to her in a most unorthodox manner. Ryan and his friend, miniature schnauzer Atticus M. Finch, would attempt to climb all forty-eight of New Hampshire's four thousand- foot peaks twice in one winter while raising money for charity. It was an adventure of a lifetime, leading them across hundreds of miles and deep into an enchanting but dangerous winter wonderland. At the heart of the amazing journey was the extraordinary relationship they shared, one that blurred the line between man and dog.

Tom Ryan is the founder of the Newburyport, Massachusetts, newspaper the Undertoad and served as its publisher and editor for more than a decade. In 2007 he moved to the White Mountains of New Hampshire with miniature schnauzer Atticus M. Finch. Over the last five years, Tom and Atticus have climbed more than 450 four-thousand-foot peaks. After raising thousands of dollars for Angell Animal Medical Center in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, the pair was inducted into the Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Hall of Fame. Tom currently writes the popular The Adventures of Tom & Atticus column in the Northcountry News and Mountainside Guide, and the blog The Adventures of Tom & Atticus. Tom and Atticus live in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

"How can you go wrong with a cute little dog who braved the White Mountains' highest peaks time and again...over the ice, snow and sometimes deadly uncertainty of wild winter altitude in New Hampshire? Far more than just a typical man-and-his-dog account...Ryan and Atticus have delivered on all counts." --Manchester Union Leader "In the mountains Atticus became more of what he'd always been, and I became less--less frantic, less stressed, less worried, and less harried. I felt comfortable letting him lead, and he seemed to know what I needed. He always chose the best route, if ever there was a question, and my only job was to follow." Middle-aged, overweight, and acrophobic newspaperman Tom Ryan and miniature schnauzer Atticus M. Finch are an unlikely pair of mountaineers, but after a close friend dies of cancer, the two pay tribute to her by attempting to climb all forty-eight of New Hampshire's four-thousand-foot peaks twice in one winter while raising money for charity. In a rare test of endurance, Tom and Atticus set out on an adventure of a lifetime that takes them across hundreds of miles and deep into an enchanting but dangerous winter wonderland. Little did they know that their most difficult test would lie ahead, after they returned home. . . . At the heart of this remarkable journey is an extraordinary relationship that blurs the line between man and dog, an indelible bond that began when Tom, following the advice of Atticus's breeder, carried the pup wherever he went for the first month of their life together. "Following Atticus" is ultimately a story of transformation: how a five-pound puppy pierced the heart of a tough-as-nails newspaperman, opening his eyes to the world's beauty and its possibilities. It was a change that led to a new life among the mountains; an unforgettable saga of adventure, friendship, and the unlikeliest of family; and an inspiring tale of finding love and discovering your true self.